Police: Brennan's blood alcohol level almost four times over legal limit

Joe Brennan

EMILY ROBSON / THE MORNING CALL

Joe Brennan, Pennsylvania State Representative for the 133rd Legislative District, walks out of District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalez's court on 4th Street in Bethlehem for his preliminary hearing for drunken driving and related charges.

Joe Brennan, Pennsylvania State Representative for the 133rd Legislative District, walks out of District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalez's court on 4th Street in Bethlehem for his preliminary hearing for drunken driving and related charges. (EMILY ROBSON / THE MORNING CALL)

State Rep. Joe Brennan had a blood alcohol level of 0.30 percent — almost four times the legal limit — when he was arrested in Bethlehem in June after driving home from Harrisburg, Bethlehem police said.

Brennan's blood alcohol level was made public in court Tuesday when the Democrat gave up his right to a preliminary hearing. Officer Thomas Somerville said Brennan's level of intoxication raises the level of the DUI charge.

If convicted, Brennan would face a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, a one-year license suspension and between three days and six months in jail. That's the penalty under the highest-level DUI offense, an alcohol level of 0.16 percent and above.

Brennan made no comment, but his attorney, Joseph Yannuzzi, said his client completed a 30-day inpatient rehabilitation program last week. He did not say whether Brennan has returned to his duties representing parts of Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Brennan, 47, was charged with drunken driving, careless driving and public drunkenness. With his hearing waived, the case will now go to Northampton County Court.

According to court records:

Around 7:20 p.m. on June 22, police were called to the Wawa at 741 E. Broad St. for a report of a possibly intoxicated man who had fallen, hit his head and driven away from the area.

Angela Cartwright of Bethlehem told police that a man — later identified as Brennan — had pulled his gray Chevrolet Malibu into the parking spot next to her.

Brennan got out of his car, fell and hit his head on the passenger side of Cartwright's vehicle. Cartwright told police Brennan appeared intoxicated and was bleeding from a cut on his head. She said after the fall, bystanders helped Brennan and he got back into his car and drove away.

As an officer spoke with Cartwright, there was a report that another man had spotted Brennan driving erratically and called 911. Angel Hernandez said he was driving behind Brennan's car and said it "was all over the road."

Hernandez followed Brennan' until he stopped and parked on Rink Street. Police traced the vehicle license plate to Brennan.

Police wrote that Brennan, sitting in the driver's seat with the engine running, "had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath," with bloodshot eyes and slightly slurred speech. Brennan's response to questions was slow and his body movements were "sluggish and his coordination was off," police wrote.

Brennan had scrapes and cuts on the right side of his face. He was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill to have blood drawn for a blood-alcohol test.

After his arrest, Brennan issued a statement acknowledging "a long and personal struggle with alcohol" and saying he "deeply regretted" his actions.

Brennan then took a leave for medical treatment, according to a spokesman for the House Democratic Caucus.

Brennan, of Fountain Hill, has represented the 133rd District since 2007. He represents parts of Allentown and Bethlehem as well as Lehigh County's Hanover Township, parts of Salisbury and Whitehall townships and Catasauqua, Coplay and Fountain Hill. He served four years as a Northampton County councilman until losing a re-election bid in 2002.

Lower Saucon Township police charged Brennan in 2003 with stealing $2 worth of meat from a grocery store. A judge later dismissed the charges, saying they were too vague, but the incident led Brennan to suspend his campaign for Bethlehem City Council.

In November, Brennan pleaded guilty to careless driving for an accident near his south Bethlehem office that sent two people to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

While waiting for police to arrive at the accident, Brennan went into a bar and ordered a sandwich and a beer.